Treatment table with rocking means



1967 J. A. JENNINGS 3,351,051

TREATMENT TABLE WITH ROCKING MEANS Filed June 5, 1965 2 Sh ts-Sheet 1 INVENTOR (/5555 A. c/AW/W/VGJ ATTORNEYS.

Nov. 7, 1967 J. A. JENNINGS TREATMENT TABLE WITH ROCKING MEANS 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 r Filed m s. 1965 Jim A. Jim M65 ATTORNEYS.

United States Patent ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE Apparatus for supporting the body of a person in a supine position for therapeutic treatment, the apparatus including support means for an elongated normally horizontal platform of such length as to fully underlie the patients body, the support means including first load sup-porting means disposed below the platform interrnediate its ends and adjacent each of its sides, a pair of arms comprising second load supporting means, the arms each having an end thereof pivotally connected on the first load supporting means and with their respective other ends diverging upwardly and away from one an- 1 other to engage the underside of the platform on opposite sides of its transverse center line, a shaft jonrnalled for rotation on the first load supporting means and extending transversely of the platform intermediate its ends, a flexible belt for each arm support means, each belt having one of its respective ends connected on its associated arm and its other end wound on the shaft, crank means connected with the shaft and operable to effect a change in the effective belt path length to cause the platform to swing in a vertical plane, and means securing said crank against rotation and thus to prevent inadvertent swinging movement of the platform.

This invention relates to a treatment table of the type which is actuable to place a patient in an inclined position.

Many persons are afflicted with diseases or defects for which a treatment is to place the patient in a reclined position with the feet upwardly and the head downwardly. For example, a person suffering from asthma or sinus may be placed in such a position to promote nasal drainage. One difiiculty residing in any stationary treatment table is that it is difficult for a person to assume a headdown supine position even with the aid of others. This difficulty is particularly acute when the patient is aged, handicapped or otherwise partially or totally immobilized. One difficulty to be avoided by the inst-ant inven tion is. the absolute necessity of an additional person to aid the patient in assuming a head-down supine position.

It is accordingly a primary object of the instant invention to provide a treatment table overcoming the aforementioned difficulties.

Another object of the instant invention is to provide a treatment table which is pivotally mounted in order to position a patient in an inclined position.

A more specific object of this invention is to provide a treatment table having a treatment surface which is pivotally mounted closer to one end than the other.

Another object of this invention is to provide a treatment table which the patient may manipulate while positioned thereon.

A further object of this invention is to provide a treatment table which may be manipulated to provide different angles of inclination.

It is another object of this invention to provide a treat- 'ment table on which a patient may first assume a feetdown supine position and then manipulate the table to achieve a head-down supine position.

Other objects and advantages of this invention will be in part apparent and in part more fully pointed out here- 3,351,851 Patented Nov. 7, 1967 inafter and disclosed in the accompanying drawings wherein there is shown a preferred embodiment of this inventive concept.

In the drawings:

FIGURE 1 is a side elevational view of the treatment table of the instant invention showing the starting position of the patient platform in dotted lines and the final inclined position of the patient platform in solid lines, the collapsibility of the support means being indicated by the dotted lines below the supporting surface;

FIGURE 2 is a top plan view of the treatment table of FIGURE 1;

FIGURE 3 is a transverse sectional View of the device of FIGURE 1 taken along line 3-3 thereof and viewing in the direction of the arrows;

FIGURE 4 is an enlarged longitudinal cross-sectional view of the device of FIGURE 2 taken along line 4--4 thereof and viewing in the direction of the arrows; and

FIGURE 5 is an enlarged transverse cross-sectional view of the cranking device of FIGURE 2 taken along line 5-5 thereof and viewing in the direction of the arrows.

Referring now to the drawings in detail, wherein like reference characters designate like elements throughout the several views thereof, there is indicated generally at it) a treatment table made in accordance with the principles of the instant invention comprising a patient receiving surface indicated generally at a2, a support means generally designated at 14- and an ope-rating mechanism shown generally at 16.

a first rectangular planar section 18 and a second rectangular planar section 20 pivotally secured together by a one-way hinge and latching device shown generally at 22 of any desired type, insofar as the hinge portion precludes pivotal movement of sections 18, 20 in one direction and the latch portion selectively precludes pivotal movement of sections 18, 20 in the opposite direction. As shown in FIGURE 4, one form of one-way hinge and latching device 22 includes a first hinge plate 24 secured to one end of section 18 and a second hinge plate 26 secured to the abutting surface of planar section 20. Each of binge plates 24, 26 form a series of meshing tongues 28 providing aligned apertures in which a pivot bolt 39 is located. As seen in FIGURE 4, hinge 22 will prevent the outer ends of sections 13, 20 from pivoting upwardly.

Hinge and latching device 20 also includes a latch 32, which is preferably a conventional door bolt, secured to the lateral edges of sections 18, 20 to prevent the outer ends of sections 18, 20 from pivoting downwardly when treatment table 10 is not in use. It should be apparent that when a patient is lying on surface 12, the weight of the individual will be so positioned as to tend to rotate the outer ends of sections 13, 20 upwardly which is prevented by the arrangement of the hinge portion of hinge and latching device 22.

A foot restraining device indicated generally at 23 includes a strap of material 25 and is secured to section 26 of platform 112 by a series of frictional fasteners 27. As more fully explained hereinafter, a patient may lie on platform 12 and place the feet under strap 25 to secure the patient against sliding when platform 12 is inclined from the dotted line to the solid line position shown in FIGURE 1.

Transversely secured to the under surface of planar section 20 is a rod receiving means indicated generally at 36 having a pair of spaced apart, parallel slats 38, 40 which define a rod receiving slot 42 as more fully explained hereinafter.

An element common to both support means 14 and operating means 16 is an upper transverse shaft 44, which may be of any desired type, but which is preferably a hollow tube as indicated in FIGURE 5, positioned beneath patient receiving surface 12 as shown in FIGURES l, 3 and 4. Support means 14 also includes a pair of first load-supporting legs 46, 43 straddling platform 12 and a pair of second loadsupporting legs 50, 52 straddling platform 12 and first legs 46, 48 as indicated in FIGURE 20. As shown in FIGURES 3 and 5, supporting legs 46, 48, 50 and 52 are each provided with an aperture 54, 56, 58, 60 into which shaft 44 is freely slidingly positioned. An enlarged washer 55 is positioned on shaft 44 outwardly of second legs 50, 52 and is precluded from sliding outwardly along shaft 44 by a cotter key or the like 57.

Supporting legs 46, 48, d, 52 are provided with a lower surface 62 cut at an angle to firmly rest on a supporting surface 65. The upper ends of first supporting legs 46, 48 are provided with a pair of horizontally transversely aligned slots 68, 70 in which is positioned a transverse load-sup-porting rod shown generally at 72 having a pair of first horizontal portions 74, 76 resting in slots 68, 70, a central horizontal load supporting section 78 positioned in rod receiving slot 42, as shown in FIGURE 4, and a pair of connecting portions 80, 82, securing horizontal section 78 to horizontal sections 74, 76 such that patient receiving surface 12 is positioned below the upper ends of first supporting legs 46, 4S.

Spacing legs 46, 48 apart and securing them together is a transverse structural member indicated generally at 82 having a pair of flanges 84, 86 secured respectively to legs 46, 48 by a series of frictional fastening means such; as screws 88.

Support means 14 also includes a first transverse rod 90- secured by an conventional means to the lower ends of legs 46, 48, a second transverse rod 92 likewise secured by any conventional means to the lower ends of legs 50, 52,. and a pair of longitudinal straps 94, 96 secured to each of transverse rods 90, 92 to prevent the lower ends of legs 46, 48, 50, 52 from spreading outwardly when Weight is placed on platform 12.

As should be apparent, support means 14 provides a transverse pivot axis along rod receiving slot 42 spaced from the center of patient receiving table 12 about which table 12 may pivot. As explained more fully hereinafter, operating means 16 provides the forces necessary to tilt platform 12 in order to comfortably position the patient. As shown in FIGURE 4, treatment table 10 is readily dismountable by lifting upwardly on patient receiving surface 12 which will free load-supporting rod 72 from rod receiving slot 42. By lifting upwardly on transverse rod 44, legs 46, 48, 50 and 52 Will readily collapse. By releasing latch means 32, patient receiving surface 12 may be folded in half to provide, along with collapsed support means 14, a compact readily storable treatment table.

Support means 14 and operating means 16 have several elements in common, which are transverse shafts 44, 90 and 92. Pivotally secured to transverse shafts 90, 92 by a pair of identical U-shaped brackets 98 is a first rotatable arm 100 underlying planar section 18 and a second rotatable arm 102 underlying planar section 20.

Secured to the free end of rotatable arm 100 and wound about shaft 44 as shown in FIGURE 4, is a flexible strap of material 104. Similarly secured to rotatable arm 102 and wound about shaft 44 is a second strip of flexible material 106. By the rotation of shaft 44, one of straps 104, 106 will be wound about shaft 44 with the other strap being unwound. For example, should shaft 44 be rotated in a clockwise direction as seen in FIGURE 4, strap 104 will be unwound allowing rotatable arm 100 to rotate in a clockwise direction. Simultaneously, strap 106 will be wound about shaft 44 thus causing rotatable arm 102 to likewise rotate in a clockwise direction thus pivoting surface 12 about load supporting rod 72.

Operating means 16 includes a crank arm 108 having a crank handle 110 perpendicularly secured thereto and extending away from treatment table 10 and a stop member 112 perpendicularly secured to crank arm 108 and pointing toward treatment table 10. Crank arm 108 is pivotally secured to transverse shaft 44 by a pivot pin 114 and resides in a pair of aligned slots 116, 118 which extend transversely of treatment table 10 as shown in FIGURE 5. It is thus apparent that crank arm 108 is pivotally mounted for movement transverse to treatment table 10. A spring biasing member 120 is secured about pivot pin 104 and looped Within the interior of transverse rod 44 and is looped about an intermediate portion of crank arm 108 to bias stop member 112 against either of legs 48, 52 as shown in FIGURE 3 to selectively halt the pivotal movement of patient receiving surface 12.

In the manipulation of the instant invention, patient receiving surface 12 is arranged in the dotted line position shown in FIGURE 1 so that the patient may sit on platform 12 and assume the supine position with the feet inserted under foot restraining strap 23. Either the patent, or one assisting him, may then grasp handle 110, pull crank arm 108 away from treatment table 10 so that stop member 112 disengages either of legs 48, 52 and rotate crank arm 108 in a clockwise direction as seen in FIG- URE 1. As previously mentioned, such clockwise rotation of tranverse shaft 44 results in flexible strap 104 being unwound to allow rotatable arm to rotate in a clockwise direction and winds flexible strap 106 about shaft 44 to cause clockwise rotation of rotatable arm 102 with the resultant pivotal movement of patient rece i7ving platform 12 about the axis of load supporting rod 8.

Upon release of operating means 16, crank arm 103 will be pivoted by spring toward treatment table 10 such that stop means 112 will contact supporting leg 48 as shown in FIGURES 1 and 3 or will contact supporting leg 52 if crank arm 108 is rotated an additional amount. Since the movement of arms 100, 102 is slow because of the small diameter of transverse shaft 44, crank arm 108 must make several rotations in order to manipulate patient receiving surface 12 from the dotted line position to the solid line position as shown in FIGURE 1. This results, not only in a high mechanical advantage of operating means 16, but also in a large number of stop positions in which stop means 112 may contact either of supporting legs 48, 50 thus allowing a large number of rest positions.

To return the patient from the head down-supine position to the head up-supine position, it is necessary to pull crank arm 108 away from treatment table 10 so that stop member 112 disengages either of legs 48, 52 and rotate crank arm 108 in a counter-clockwise direction, thus reversing the sequence of operation previously discussed.

It is thus seen that there is herein provided an improved treatment table having all the objects and advantages of this invention and others, including many advantages of great practical utility and commercial importance.

Since many embodiments may be made of the instant inventive concept, and since many modifications may be made of the embodiment hereinbefore shown and described, it is to be understood that all matter herein is to be taken merely as illustrative and not in a limiting sense.

I claim:

1. A treatment table comprising a planar platform having a longitudinal axis, a trans verse axis, at least two transverse edges, an upper surface and a lower surface;

means pivotally supporting said planar platform for movement in a vertical plane about a horizontal axis; and

operating means for pivoting said platform about said axis, said operating means comprising a first arm pivotally mounted on said support means engaging said platform in load supporting relation on one side of said horizontal pivot axis,

a second arm pivotally mounted on said support means engaging said platform in load supporting relation on a side opposite from said one side of said horizontal pivot axis,

means connecting said first and second arms for selectively pivoting said arms, said connecting means comprising a transverse shaft rotatably mounted on said support means, crank means fixedly secured to one end of said transverse shraft,

and an elongated flexible means connected to each of said first and second arms and being wound about said transverse shaft, said flexible means having portions thereof payed from said trans verse shaft at substantially the same side of said shaft when said shaft is rotated.

2. The structure of claim 1 wherein said crank means is moutned for pivotal movement transverse to said treatment table and includes a stop means for selectively engaging said support means to preclude continued rotation of said crank means in a given direction.

3. The structure of claim 2 wherein said crank means is biased for movement in a direction toward said treatment table.

4. The structure of claim 1 wherein said supporting means includes a pair of first supporting legs straddling said platform forming a pair of transversely aligned apertures intermediate the ends of said legs, a pair of second supporting legs straddling said platform adjacent said first supporting legs forming a pair of transversely aligned apertures adjacent one end of each of said legs, a substantially straight transverse shaft of smaller size than said apertures positioned within said apertures so that said supporting legs may freely rotate about said shaft,

and means fixed between said first support legs and said second supporting legs to limit pivotal movement of said legs with respect to each other to provide a readily collapsible support means.

5. The structure of claim 3 wherein said first supporting legs form a pair of transversely aligned rod receiving openings above said apertures, a load supporting rod residing in said openings, and said platform includes rod receiving means formed on said lower surface receiving said load supporting rod.

6. The structure of claim 4 wherein said load supporting rod is U-shaped for positioning said platform below said rod receiving openings.

7. The structure of claim 1 wherein said platform includes a first section, a second section, and means pivotally connecting said first and second sections.

8. The structure of claim 7 wherein said pivotal connecting means includes hinge means for pivoting said first and second sections in a first direction and preventing pivotal movement of said first and second sections in a direction opposite from said first direction and means on said platform for selectively preventing pivotal movement of said first and second sections in said first direction.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 350,646 10/1886 Tiffany 108-9 XR 525,107 8/ 1894 Mayer 272-54 1,380,893 6/1921 Gebert 272-54 3,152,802 10/1964 Heisler et al 272-58 XR FOREIGN PATENTS 1,340,299 9/ 1963 France.

LAWRENCE W. TRAPP, Primary Examiner. 

1. A TREATMENT TABLE COMPRISING A PLANAR PLATFORM HAVING A LONGITUDINAL AXIS, A TRANSVERSE AXIS, AT LEAST TWO TRANSVERSE EDGES, AN UPPER SURFACE AND A LOWER SURFACE; MEANS PIVOTALLY SUPPORTING SAID PLANAR PLATFORM FOR MOVEMENT IN A VERTICAL PLANE ABOUT A HORIZONTAL AXIS; AND OPERATING MEANS FOR PIVOTING SAID PLATFORM ABOUT SAID AXIS, SAID OPERATING MEANS COMPRISING A FIRST ARM PIVOTALLY MOUNTED ON SAID SUPPORT MEANS ENGAGING SAID PLATFORM IN LOAD SUPPORTING RELATION ON ONE SIDE OF SAID HORIZONTAL PIVOT AXIS, A SECOND ARM PIVOTALLY MOUNTED ON SAID SUPPORT MEANS ENGAGING SAID PLATFORM IN LOAD SUPPORTING RELATION ON A SIDE OPPOSITE FROM SAID ONE SIDE OF SAID HORIZONTAL PIVOT AXIS, MEANS CONNECTING SAID FIRST AND SECOND ARMS FOR SELECTIVELY PIVOTING SAID ARMS, SAID CONNECTING MEANS COMPRISING A TRANSVERSE SHAFT ROTATABLY MOUNTED ON SAID SUPPORT MEANS, CRANK MEANS FIXEDLY SECURED TO ONE END OF SAID TRANSVERSE SHAFT, AND AN ELONGATED FLEXIBLE MEANS CONNECTED TO EACH OF SAID FIRST AND SECOND ARMS AND BEING WOUND ABOUT SAID TRANSVERSE SHAFT, SAID FLEXIBLE MEANS HAVING PORTIONS THEREOF PAYED FROM SAID TRANSVERSE SHAFT AT SUBSTANTIALLY THE SAME SIDE OF SAID SHAFT WHEN SAID SHAFT IS ROTATED. 